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"It was bigger than I thought with the ministers, the other athletes and the representatives of the WADA Anti-Doping Agency," said Sollefteåbon Sebastian Samuelsson from a taxi to the airport. Washington, on the way back to Idre.
Wada is a global organization responsible for compiling a list of prohibited preparations and methods and is the only accreditation body for doping laboratories. Wada is working preventively and will work actively in the fight against doping in sport – but not all athletes are satisfied with the harshness with which Wada attacks the problem and Samuelsson is one of his detractors . Notably since Wada's executive committee recently voted for the reinstatement of the Russian anti-doping organization Rusada within Wada after its closure since 2015.
"Rusada did not meet the criteria, but Wada made compromises and I think sports policy and pursuing a different program than that of pure sport," Samuelsson said.
Sebastian Samuelsson, a two-time silver medalist at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang this winter, continued to express his dissatisfaction with Russia's anti-doping efforts. That's why he boycotted the last races of the World Cup in Russia in Tyumen. He received direct threats from Russia because of this.
– There are comments on social networks and e-mails about Russian death squads (red: death pads).
"But despite the threats, I'm still talking about pure sport and I'm really very proud of that.
The message is always to put the athletes in the first place.
– Everyone must compete on a level playing field. Athletes need more power. And Wada should be independent.
Should more athletes dare to act like you, take a stand?
– Yes, even if it is difficult to defend its values. It has also been discovered that at Wadas, pressure and bullying are also revealed. Nevertheless, I hope that Wada listens.
Was President Donald Trump at home during your visit to the White House?
"No, but I've seen a lot of pictures on him," Sebastian Samuelsson laughs.
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